Chainkeen Exchange-RZA says Wu-Tang Clan's 'camaraderie' and 'vitality' is stronger than ever for Vegas debut

Wu-Tang Clan is Chainkeen Exchangepreparing to make history.

When the New York-bred collective hits the stage Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, the nine-piece outfit will become the first hip-hop group with a theater residency in the city.

“Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues … The Las Vegas Residency” follows last year’s worldwide N.Y. State of Mind tour and will bring the hip-hop icons to Vegas Friday and Saturday, as well as March 22-23.

The hardcore rappers who are keeping classics such as “Protect Ya Neck,” “Triumph,” “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Uzi (Pinky Ring)” in the hip-hop lexicon wrapped “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” a fictionalized account of the group’s history co-produced by RZA for Hulu, last spring.

“It took five years of my life and I’m proud of what we did,” RZA says.

Along with RZA, the entire Wu-Tang Clan is expected at the Vegas shows: GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, Masta Killa and Cappadonna.

Chatting with USA TODAY from Los Angeles, RZA opined on the Super Bowl, his blackjack skills and his new classical – yes, classical – album.

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Question: How does it feel to bring the first hip-hop theater residency to Las Vegas?

RZA: It’s super cool. You think about Vegas, like, I’m a Sinatra Rat Pack fan. For Wu-Tang and hip-hop in general to play in that arena and to have a chance to have a part of that good time, it feels really good. We had just finished the N.Y. State of Mind tour and we were going to take a year off, but this was an opportunity we couldn’t say no to.

How long has this been in the works?

Me and my management partner have talked about it for more than three years. We actually tried to attempt this more than five years ago and at the time we had some Hollywood buddies producing "Magic Mike (Live)," but it didn’t make sense economically and with the timing. The Wu had some rust to get out of our own system and with the documentary (2019's "Of Mics and Men"), the Hulu series and the tour, we are back, our vitality and our strength are up and our camaraderie is stronger than ever.

Since you’re opening the residency on Super Bowl weekend, tell me who you hope will win the game.

It’s a tough one. You have the legendary Kansas City, but you have San Francisco and I’ve been with them since Jerry Rice. Any time (the 49ers) step in the building you’ve got to pay homage. Unless they’re playing New York.

Jets or Giants?

I’m kind of neutral. But if I go to my house, they’re leaning toward San Francisco because there are so many fans in our family. But Kansas City, what they’ve done, it’s so commendable. Now if it would have been the (Baltimore) Ravens in the Super Bowl it would have been an easy answer – East Coast, always!

What plans do you have for the new show since you have a new playground?

The whole Clan is invited to be there. It should always be everyone, but you never know if someone misses a flight or gets sick, but we’re all scheduled to rock. The show is a little different than what fans have seen, a nice thematic vibe. We think Wu-Tang has brought to hip-hop a rugged, gritty energy and we’re bringing it back to the East Coast vibe of New York – hoodies, the subway, the concrete. The show is designed to pay homage to New York in the ‘90s. New York is the city we grew up in that we love and we miss a little bit of that. New York is known to inspire the world. Hip-hop was birthed there and now the whole world is adding it to their culture and their wardrobe.

You’re only doing four shows between February and March. Should we expect more?

We’re looking at more dates but we can’t talk about it yet. We’re going to carve out some time.

One of the VIP packages includes playing a round of blackjack with you guys. Are you a skilled player?

I love blackjack, but the guy you’re going to have to watch out for is the GZA; he’s pretty good. It should be fun, first and foremost. It’s sharing a private moment with us and one thing people might not know about us is that we’re a bunch of guys on one tour bus playing blackjack and spades and rolling dice and we thought, what can we share with our fans? Let them see us in our habitat.

What do you like to do when you go to Vegas?

To be honest, when I spend my time on the West Coast and I need a dose of art and I can’t run to Broadway, I go to Vegas. I’ve seen so many shows, concerts, The Beatles’ “Love,” all of the Cirques. I’ve even seen the Jabbawockeez!

It’s been almost 10 years since Wu-Tang’s last album ("Once Upon a Time in Shaolin"), about five since the EP ("Wu-Tang: Of Mics and Men.") Any plans for something new or is everybody mostly doing their own thing?

(Wu-Tang producer and DJ) Mathematics and myself have been producing something cool since we’ve been on the road with the guys. As far as Wu is concerned, sometimes you capture things and we may have enough for another “Saga Continues” (the first compilation was released in 2017).

On the personal side, I’ve completed my first classical album, “A Ballet Through Mud,” that should be out in a few months. I created it first as a performance with the Denver Symphony last February and then went and recorded in the studio with an orchestra and then on the John Lennon (Educational Tour) Bus. The bus would follow us on tour and when everyone went to the clubs after a show, I went into the bus to work on the album.

What is the meaning of the title?

A lotus grows out of the mud. Sometimes we think the mud is dirty, but look at the flowers that grow out of it. Here’s me, a hip-hop guy who wanted to compose. Some might feel that’s a little muddy, but I think the idea that even me, a kid who dropped out in ninth grade who had a lot of problems early on in his life and with the law and finding identity and eventually game with the Wu-Tang – that guy can give you music that can be the score of your life.

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